Writing about the threads of happiness that are inextricably woven through the cloth of my life keeps me Walking on the Happy Side of Life. Walk with me as I share my life as Mom to 3 wonderful children -- including identical twins blessed with an extra 21st chromosome each -- a condition known as Down syndrome.

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Thursday, May 21, 2009

Every day this week felt like Friday just HAD to be tomorrow because I'd already been through a full week... hadn't I? No? Not yet? Oy!

[1] I'm incredibly grateful that tomorrow is Friday. No, I'm not wishing my life away. I'm glad for today and every day that preceded it. I'm just a little more tired this week from a little more running around. And, Friday always makes me happy because I get to anticipate the weekend. That is, Friday is followed by Saturday and Sunday which are days "off"... which means I don't have to wake up at the crack of dawn and drive 50 miles to get the kids to school. Instead, we all get to hang out. And, I love anticipating hanging out with my kids almost as much as actually doing it.

[2] I'm glad Summer is coming. Again, not wishing my life away. I have a bunch of reasons why I'm glad for the new season; I just love summer time and all the outdoor freedom and activities that come with it. But, also -- and maybe mostly -- I'm glad for Summer because Olivia had a rough time this year in 2nd grade. Summer means not only that she survived but that she gets to take a break and spend some much needed one-on-one time having nature-girl fun with Mommy while the boys are in school (a little bummed about that) so she can make a fresh start in September with a new teacher.

[3] I'm thankful that my "transition tool" method of getting Michael into his classroom without causing him more stress by ripping him away from Mommy -- which is the method the teachers were using -- worked well today. Sadly, the trauma of April's surgery, dehydration and ER visit followed by being separated from Mommy and Brian for the first time since his birth (while Brian was in the hospital) took it's toll on my baby. Hopefully, my new, gentler separation method will continue to work as brilliantly as it did this morning so I can finally help him to truly and peacefully get over it.

[4] I'd like to say a group thank you to the many people -- professional and lay-people -- who have helped me foster my boys' development. As such, I'm happy to be giving back to other families of children with special needs as a parent-member of Oceanside's Committee on Preschool Special Education and Committee on Special Education. I'm a big believer in paying it forward so I'm thankful to have this opportunity.

[5] A special thanks to Dr. Cindy Arroyo (the boys' EI speech therapist) and the Long Island Speech and Hearing Association (http://www.lisha.org/) who nominated and gave me a Parent Award the other night at their annual reception. Tangible reward in parenting is rare. So, it felt really good that someone recognized that I work hard and try to go that extra mile in doing my job well. It's not always easy and I'm certainly not doing it for the recognition -- God knows there would be very few children in the world if we parented for recognition -- but getting just a kind word or a little praise does make all that running around a tad easier (for my mind if not for my body). A big thanks for the boost!

Take a moment today and give some kind words of thanks and praise to someone you know who's been working hard without any recognition. It can make a huge difference in so many ways! It did for me. And, with that, thanks to all of you for humoring me by reading my crazy scribblings.

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My Motivation

Inspired by the http://happiness-project.com/, I began this blog in pursuit of my own happiness while raising my 3 children -- including identical twins with Down syndrome. On these pages, I endeavor to document the bits and pieces of my life that bring me the most happiness and keep me focused on all the positive stuff going on. Advocacy, Angels and Random Happy Thoughts. These are the threads of happiness that are inextricably woven through the cloth of my life. Staying focused and writing about these things is what keeps me Walking on the Happy Side of Life. I'd love it if you would "Take A Walk on the Happy Side" with me.

Copywright

THINK THANKFUL

There's barely a better sign that someone -- or some dog -- is happy to see you than when they wag their tail. My Bubba, a 13-year-old black Chow Chow has a curly spray of a tail that she very discriminantly wags... But always ALWAYS rapidly for me when she greets me as I walk into the house. I LOVE that!

I absolutely love the sound of that deep, guttural, laugh-til-I-choke belly laugh brought on by big, wet raspberries. My kids LOVE raspberries. And, I love to oblige just to hear that beautiful, joyful laughter that happens whether they're actually being raspberried or when they're just ANTICIPATING raspberries.

I'm thankful for the feather-soft skin and barely-there blonde peach-fuzz at the base of Brian's and Michael's neck. It is my most favorite place to kiss them... eliciting a giggle that sounds like the tinkling of a crystal bell. I LOVE it!

I love lying in bed beside my daughter at night... each of us reading our respective books. Then, when she finally closes her book and snuggles into her pillow, I listen for that easy and even breathing that indicates she's fallen peacefully to sleep. It is a routine I love. A peaceful way for both of us to end our day.

There is no greater joy than waking up to my children's beautiful sunshine-y smiles each morning!

I am thankful for my boys' healthy and strong immune systems. Brian's recent bout with pneumonia was short lived because his immune system (and the antibiotics) responded well and quickly. I've heard stories of pneumonia lasting several weeks. Thankfully, ours was a quick 3-day hospital stay with amazing results restoring him quickly to good health!

I LOVE the feeling of my sons' warm little hands holding mine when they want to show me an amazing discovery in the next room, or to feel safe, or to drag me and my attention away from the computer and back onto them (where it should be anyway). That simple gesture absolutely warms my heart with love.

I am thankful for my children's laughter. It is surely the most heavenly sound on earth!

As it turns out, I'm thankful my boys were home sick today. Thankful that they aren't TOO sick and thankful to spend a leisurely day with just them. We stacked blocks, painted, played with playdoh, blew bubbles, watched some movies, wrote with our magnadoodles, had lunch together and, finally, put together and played with our new hotwheels track set we got for Christmas. We even got the boiler fixed while we were all home during the 4-hour repair window they give you. What an EXCELLENT day! And, it's not even over yet!

Though I'm not thankful for childhood illnesses like croup which Brian is currently fighting, I am extraordinarily thankful that Brian, Michael and Olivia have healthy immune systems. As they've proven over and over again in their short lives, their little bodies are able to fight the nastiest of germs and win! Fortunately, Brian's already on the better side of it so we should all be healthy for Christmas!

I LOVE to see the sunshine sparkling on the water's surface. And, I'm thankful to live near enough to the water to see it almost everyday. It always catches my eye and makes me slow down to take notice. Ahhh, it soothes my soul every time.

I'm thankful that I have good friends who trust me to be a sympathetic listener when they need one.

I'm thankful for those few stolen moments I occasionally get to take for myself, to quietly watch the sun greet the day, in the wee hours of the morning, before every one else is awake!

It just occured to me that everyone should have a friend like Tammy! Someone who gets you out of yourself and always makes you laugh... even when you're talking about something serious. So, today, I'm thankful for my friend Tammy for helping me always to see the funny side of things.

Thank God for those occasional rainy days that let me relax and just be with my kids without rushing to make a plan or accomplish a task.

Thank God for my yellow fleece blanket. I LOVE to quietly slink into bed, hunker down deep and drift off to sleep... toasty warm!

Thank God for long, hot, uninterrupted showers. Especially after skipping a day because life got in the way!

Thank God that I was blessed with Brian & Michael before science found a way to prevent Down syndrome. Certainly,my life is better for their presence... just exactly as they are!

Thank God for my "online" girlfriends who truly hold me up in cyberspace when I feel like I'm crashing.

Thank God for my strange sense of humor. It keeps me thinking funny thoughts and laughing out loud all day long.